


Where The Line Breaks

by lazetta_croft



Category: Iron Man - Fandom, The Avengers
Genre: Arc Reactor, Arc Reactor Issues, Basically, Feels, Gen, Hurt Tony Stark, Mild torture, Natasha Is a Good Bro, Oblivious Steve Rogers, Palladium Poisoning, Sick Tony Stark, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Whump, also posted on fanfiction net, kidnapped avengers, the avengers know nothing about it, the avengers watch iron man 1, the avengers watch iron man one, type of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-26
Updated: 2019-01-12
Packaged: 2019-03-09 16:06:54
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 20
Words: 8,673
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13485036
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lazetta_croft/pseuds/lazetta_croft
Summary: A simple mission going wrong...the avengers end up in the hands of Loki,who has a certain grudge with tony stark. Aka where the avengers get to live the captivity Tony had gone through. tony whump,sadfic, palladium poisoning.





	1. Caught In Between

**Author's Note:**

> This is also posted at fanfiction net i will be making mild changes.

Tony nearly jumped as Steve thrusted a hand over his shoulder. He was getting a lot jumpy these days.

Afraid to see his discolored veins,afraid of telling Pepper about the palladium poisoning, afraid for the end of his privacy in the tower, afraid of what the team would think of him when he died.

 

"Stark! Stark!"

_'God, Steve, leave me in peace!' Thought Tony._

He turned towards him. "Yeah, alive an' breathing, no need to worry." He winced at the word alive. Not so much, that is.

"I think you should stop drinking that much. It is roasting your brain." Steve has always been unpredictable.

"Goodness! We are trapped in a cave , i guess we wont be getting any beer..."

The cave. Yeah, cold blasts of wind even in a cave. Simple mission gone wrong. Thanks to Mr. Disappearing target man, the hulk had smashed the dam, resulting in total waterfall. When they came to, all the avengers were tied in a cave. Cave! God, so triggering. Natasha couldn't blame tony for getting panic attacks here. And the problem was Tony knew it. She was currently trying to bite Barton' s bindings . Bruce was experiencing a hulk-aftershock, and was asleep. Steve was haranguing Tony about whatnots. Poor rascal of a captain, that is.

Tony struggled to hide the reactor .no one, except Natasha knew about the reactor .It thumped against his chest lightly. Tony shivered, no suit to keep him warm. They had cut open the suit. No the time the dam broke, it was unfunctionable. Tony was getting out of it. And that's why he was the only one not dried off and was shivering.

"Stark! Any plan to get out?"

yeah, leave it to Barton to kick a man when he is down.

"thinking." Tony shot back. Like a tied man with a hole in his sternum and shrapnel in chest could construct a suit with no material .

Somebody opened the door that tony had missed. Light slipped through.

"pleased to meet you, avengers.."

Tony squinted his eyes . What the hell people think that the avengers can be avenger-napped. It was... A human? Tony laughed at the taught, recieving glares. He closed his mouth. This person was as tall as a mountain,heavily bearded. His voice had an weird touche. No glasses or anything. This person had an malicious aura. "and Mr. Stark..." he hissed at tony's name." you, you are the chief guest here." Tony turns to his team who gives back the same confused look that tony gives them. 'this is trouble.' tony began struggling against his binds. and then the man dissapeared in a wist of green smoke. and then he came back. everyone could regognise him now. it was Loki.


	2. Chapter 2

Tony squinted his eyes.His mouth went dry at the sight of loki.

' _atleast let a man live his last moments happily..._ ' 

Clint began wriggeling instantly when Loki transformed.

"Natasha, " venom poured out of his voice," allow me to use abusive language.

Natasha smirked before nodding. Tony smiled a fake smile.

"okay then, Loki you-" before Clint could complete, Loki waved his hand speaking,"Language!"

Clint's mouth was immediately covered with something yuck. Natasha made a face.

Tony mumbled under his breathe," That ,is capsicle's dialogue."

Steve moved his elbow a little enough to nudge Tony. Loki laughed.

" you," He spoke volupyously," the avengers, are the reason for the failure of the chitauri attack. I would have been..." he trailed off, staring at Thor for a brief moment.

"brother, 

you, you are the one who is the cause of ...the cause of ignorance of my father to me! All attention to you! Why even have me then?" his scepter glowered dangerously.

Tony leaned forward in his bonds. " shut up! You are the one who is the trouble ..!" Loki hissed and stepped up and his scepter glowed before a light thrusted at Tony .

He fainted.

Natasha growled. Steve flinched. Clint mumbled curses. "sometimes, you should shut your mouth." Loki smirked. Natasha screamed , her voice hoarse , rusty and un-natasha-like.

" Too scared to open our binds, Odinson?"

Loki smiled ear to ear and bent towards Natasha, pulling her hair. " Speaks the hider and seeker. "

The binds opened immediately. Natasha smiled internally. She tried leaping forward but her body was barely able to move.

" Nice try, widow..." Loki laughs," magic can make your bodies weak. I am not so foolish."

" I doubt."

Loki gave a pained expression.

"Whatever. I leave you to.....converse." With a derisive laugh, he went out of the room.

Natasha removed the gag on Clint's mouth.  Steve moved to Tony who whimpered. Thor tried waking Bruce, with no success. Clint crawled weakly towards the door and punched it. The whole cave resounded with sound of metal and Tony's groans. Steve sat back in defeat.

"we are trapped."

" oh! I didn't know!" Steve turned to look at Tony. He was horribly pallid and frail. His voice was totally lost. He clutched his chest like his life depended on it.

"God, are you alright?"

"Never been better." 

Suddenly,Bruce moaned. Tony weakly clambered up to him. "Bruce? Comeon, bruce, wake up? Brucie-"

Bruce screamed bolting up ahead. He took his time to look around.

"How the hell are we here?" Bruce was panting, twice as pale as Tony.

" Mr. Mischief decided to press his luck too far." The answer came as expected from Tony. Bruce nodded anyway.

Tony grunted, tired from the recent battle.

"Anyone needs medical?" Natasha replied after running her gaze around the room.

" Nope." Tony went to the door and began poking the hinges dramatically. Steve wanted to hoot at the look of concentration on tony's face. The genius was needed here. Tony almost reminded him of Howard. God, he missed Howard.

A groan from Tony woke him from his thoughts as Tony fell down. 


	3. Chapter 3

Steve ran up immediately as Tony fell. The aura dropped to a serious level. He had heard Tony saying that he had a heart condition. He thought he was joking.  
A serious joke, maybe.  
Bruce began checking his pulse against his protests. Natasha began searching his pockets (why?) clint was babling away while running his hands on his head  
"Pulse is high,the battle , maybe, is the cause."  
"Come on Bruce," Tony protested,"I am fine, just fell down. Don't be a mother hen."  
Bruce could only smile.  
The smile reflected pity.  
Natasha took out a box from Tony's pocket.  
"Tash! I will do it! Leave it!" Tony's voice slurred.  
Lousy Tony. Bad.  
"Like you will! Take your shirt off!"  
Frantic Natasha. Bad . Bad  
"Isn't there a bathroom or something?"  
Steve pointed towards a small room at the side. It was untidy, but worked. Tony snatched the box from Natasha's hand and walked inside, supporting himself with the wall.  
Weakness. Very bad.  
"Tasha?" Steve's voice was uncertain.  
" He will need some space.I am not telling."  
" So there is a problem , alright." Clint jumped in.  
Horribly bad.  
Bruce nodded. He brought his specs till the bridge of his nose. He shifted to follow Tony. Too late.  
Tony came out of the bathroom.  
"Guess loki cares for hygiene."  
"Tony!" clint screamed.  
"what was that?" bruce's voice sounded like steel.  
"Weakness, not slept from long."  
"Tasha asked you to take off your shirt, that doesn't link."  
Natasha glared.  
"She could have been in the mood... "  
Natasha kicked Tony in his knee.  
"Yeow!"Tony paused for a second, "ya know, I would like to sleep..." he yawned dramatically.  
Tony leaned down, feigning snores.  
" Tasha?" Bruce whispered. " Please tell me. I hulk out from curiosity sometimes.  
Natasha opened her mouth but was immediately interrupted by a sound.  
The door creaked again,light seeping in again.  
Speak of the devil. Even with your mouth closed.  
" Hello, avengers.." Loki could have rolled his eyes at the fake snoring.  
His eyes were sharp, venomous malvolence clearly visible. His voluptous smile made Steve writhe.  
Tony grunted awake.  
" Thought I might have some fun with you..."  
Loki immediately flitted near Tony,making him shudder.  
"And you, stark,are a twig in my neck." he grabbed Tony by the neck . Tony placed his frail, pallid hands on Loki's merciless ones.  
Steve stepped forward. Loki waved his free hand and they were all in bonds, except Tony. They began writhing and roaring.  
"Brother, you will have your chance."  
Thor grunted, struggling against his bonds.  
Tony began choking, gasping. Then came the move.  
He headbutted with Loki immediately, Loki releasing his grasp.  
A knife produced in loki's hand.  
He flitted towards Tony who was still suffering from shock.  
He placed it on tony's neck.  
"Your words and actions may cause the knife to defy its limits."  
Thor fell back.  
"Good." he looked towards Tony. " Ready stark?"  
"Chillax, dude, just tell me , FOR WHAT?"  
" I am just gonna make sure you see red." he smiled from ear to ear again. Tony decided immediately that he hated that smile.  
He moved the knife dramatically in the air before striking it in tony's shoulder.  
Tony flinched, but no reaction came.  
Bruce inhaled sharply. Steve lightly called out for Tony.  
" Come on,let me try some.."  
He dug the knife harder.  
More blood oozed, but no voice from Tony.  
Natasha growled. Clint grimaced.  
Loki took the knife out. He smiled demoniously.  
His hands produced a wire, gleaming in electricity.  
Tony began breathing deeply.  
The touch of the wire made him feel numb. His body went ablaze.  
Cannotbreathecantbreatheunabletobreathe!  
Wontgiveincantgiveinunabletogivein!  
Time passed like hell. He forgot the sense of his body. The hidden arc reactor sparked a little.  
Tony focused on his breathing.  
Inhale,  
Exhale.  
Inhale,  
Exhale.  
He didnt feel it as he fell down with a thump.  
Xxxxxxxx  
"Stark? Stay with me man!" Tony recognised it as Clint. When did. Loki leave?  
Tony felt cold, cold, soooo cold, he could have spared loki for a blanket.  
Bruce pressed something against his shoulder, making him yelp.  
"Sorry."  
" whats dere in ma shoulder?" tony's voice slurred.  
" Steve tore a part of his shirt. We needed to stanch the bleeding."bruce replied.  
Tony nodded.  
He felt a brotherly feeling with bruce. Always calm. He never shouted at Tony.(90% because of hulk)  
"Tony?"  
"Ya, Bruce?  
" I understand his grudge with Thor, but why does Loki resent you?"  
Tony shrugged.  
" I kinda monologued him... And dropped sarcasm on him... Sooo...ummm...serves me right!" It would be better not to tell them that he cant control me. Tony thought internally.  
"hmmmhmmm, fine. "  
Tony curled up, smelling steve's shirt binded in his shoulder letting blessed darkness take over.  
Xxxx  
When tony woke up, a man with glasses was standing over him. His beard was white and he was smiling.  
"yinsen?"  
yinsen just smiled. He crept closer. Tony wanted to hug him , but he couldn't move.  
Yinsen crept closer and yanked the arc reactor out of his chest.  
Xxxxx  
"Stark? Tony!"  
Captain spangles . Sheesh.  
Tony pulled himself up. "its tony stark , not stark tony."  
Steve decided to ignore the pun.  
"You were screaming."  
"Not a big fan of caves."  
Tony glanced around to see the avengers circling him.  
" Why?" Bruce asked perplexed.  
Tony clamped his mouth shut.  
"Bruce." Natasha intervened." his captivity took place in a cave."  
"Oh."  
Clint threw a tiny ball of mud at tony. Nice aim.  
Tony grunted, then threw a ball of mud at Steve. Who stared at Clint.  
"wha..."  
Too late. Captain spangles threw a mud ball at Clint, who ducked, and the ball hit Bruce instead.  
Bruce clenched his fingers, turning green for a minute but the magic barrier stopped him. Natasha ran to his aid and was immediately hit by mud.  
That is how the next time Loki visited, he ended up being mud -balled.


	4. Mud Balling one's Face Has Consequences

Loki could scream.

Loki could turn them all into toads.

Loki could kill them.

The chilly cave was utterly silenced by the audacity of the situation. Loki was standing still smiling (how?) with mud on his face. Tony could giggle . A lot. but instead he laughed. to exaggerate the situation. and of course Steve glared. Clint felt like clapping. mud dripping from a supervillain! haha! Bruce made a small mud ball in his hand. Just in case. Natasha stood unfazed.

Loki glared.

"Well," his voice was echoing. whot d hellllll? " having fun, are we?"

" The we you speak of," Steve threw his words angrily to his own suprise." does not include you."

" It never did. that is why i am the better one. No one to protect. No one to fear. No one to go home to." He smirked.

" Atleast we are more brave." Tony muttered.

Loki felt like deja vu.

Odin's voice. "You are a coward Loki!"

coward?

coward?

coward?

Oh.

coward.

So he was a coward, isn't it? lets play the cowardly game, Loki thought as he raised his sceptre and the avengers fell down unconscious.

xxxxxxx

The avengers woke up in a misty place. Bruce silently arched his back and began waking Tony up. (science bondings.) Steve and Natasha woke up on their own. Thor woke up taking his time. Clint needed the whole town to wake him until tony threatened to take his bean bag out from his room in the tower back home.

The avengers looked around.

The place was a cold dessert, surrounded by small caves. The wind could make the hulk flinch.

Oh shoot.


	5. Chapter 5

Tony felt alright.

Except his burning back, and mind, panicked breathing and aching chest, he was fine.

Tony walked slowly, trying his best NOT to keep his pace with Rogers, happy when Steve scolded him for being slow. Strangely Tony felt really reassured to listen to his angry voice , mask in place.

Boom!

A big blast boomed at a distance ,a humvee getting caught up in it.

Snap. Deja vu.

Tony's breathe hitched, panic appearing on his face. He was ready to fall as gunfire resounded and a man ran out of the humvee.

"Stark! We need to help them!"

Steve's concerned and loud voice broke through Tony's mind. He clambered , mask slipping away, towards Steve and the rest of the avengers. The team was all business again, Tony feeling quite useless without his suit. His hair wavered as he ran slowly to Natasha, her poisture serene. Tony always felt strange around her. She knew that he was dying. It made Tony feel vunerable. Natasha always made him feel mushy through her bold words. Tony wanted to die with no regret, the world never forgetting and yet forgetting him. He wanted to disapear.

Though fury also knew about the palladium poisoning, he would not give him an off. "You wont tell others, you don't get a holiday." he had wasn't the one to hear orders, but letting the avengers know wasn't an option.He had gulped pieces of his pride and left the room.

"Stark!" Clint yelled. He took Tony by his shoulder, shaking him.

Tony might have scoffed, but one look at Clint told it was a bad idea. His eyes were glassy, he looked ready to faint. He pointed at a man lying at there feet, chest bloody.

The man at their feet...was Tony stark.


	6. Chapter 6

Tony gulped hard. THE TONY STARK was lying in a bloody heap at the feet of the avengers. The wind blew around with the heat of the flames.  
He shuddered, old memories coming back to him.

Clint was the first one to speak.  
"Is that you?" He demanded, eyeing the figure carefully. Clint's eyes were glassy , just like Tony.

" I think," Tony stuttered ," We are currently in Afghanistan...I hate Loki." Tony looked at himself, breath out of control.

Footsteps.

Steve pulled Tony behind the remains of a humvee, along with the rest of the avengers.

Voices.

Tony began to count his breathing. Bruce tried escaping under Natasha's hold.

"Mil gaya!" raspy, hoarse voices.

Tony closed his eyes prepared for what next.

" Yaha par chikitsak ki zazurat hai! Yaha khoon hai!" panicked voices.

Tough hands, picked up the body. They put him on a stretcher. Steve glared Tony ominously. Were they seeing the past or the future? Better be the future. The arrogant man needed it.

Natasha , reading Steve, whispered." It's the past."

Steve stared even after Natasha turned away. He motioned the team to follow him.  
The whole team followed the group of men silently, realising that they were not visible.

" Steve," tony whispered weakly." can we please not follow them?"

Steve was astounded by the please." No tony, we need to know what happened in your past."

" Can you watch yourself being tort...Steve i cant... Leave me here Steve..."

" Tony! What kind of a hero are you if you can't face your weakness?!" Steve roared. A few men from the bandit group turned behind. Steve and tony fell silent.

" Tony." Natasha whispered, pulling him close." we know it is scary, but we are in a world Loki created, we may never get out if we don't abide by what he wants."

Tony nodded. Natasha hugged tony for a second before patting his back and jogging to join the avengers. Tony followed silently.

It was going to be a rough road ahead.


	7. Chapter 7

Screaming. Shouting. Moaning.

crying . Praying. Cutting.

Pain.

The only thing both the Tony's in the scene could feel and see. Pain.

 

The cave was cold. It was freezing. But looking at tony, it looked that he was on fire. Because they were cutting him open. When he was awake. The present tony was taking deep breaths, his eyes closed. His hands were on his ears, trying to block the screams. Natasha was kneeling beside him. They both were turning away from the scene. The avengers watched, dumbstruck.

" I- I think, we should consider going back..." Steve muttered, kneeling down towards Tony.Few minutes ago, he was dying to watch what had changed the armoured avenger, but now, he would give anything to get the gruesome screams out of his way. Natasha glared at him ominously. Steve gave a questioning look as a return gift.

Tony looked quite out of his normal character.

Steve pulled him up. oh the courteous captain. He paced towards the door, suprisingly more eager than Tony, to get out.

Thump!

Steve crashed right in the door. "We can feel the things?" Steve asked.   
"How does that come as a surprise?" Natasha asked.  
Steve tried pushing and pulling the door.

It didn't budge.

" I don't think Loki wants us to turn away." Bruce pointed out. His voice was hoarse. And the usual warm orbs were dark green. Clint vomited at the corner.

" Well," Natasha said with a flicker of emotion in her eyes, "We are screwed."


	8. Meaning of being a hero

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am sorry i havent posted in long, but i got caught up in school. Read and review!

They watched as the terrorists hauled Tony towards a uncomfortable cot. They dropped him .  
THEY. HOOKED. HIM. TO. A . CAR. BATTERY.  
A. FRIGGING. BATTERY.  
RIGHT. IN . HIS. CHEST.

That must have hurt. Even in tony's unmoving form, the avengers saw pain.  
Steve was in a similiar stage of internal agony. How the hell was his chest fine?!  
Wait.  
Tony never showed his chest to anyone.  
"Hey Tony! Wanna have a dip in the pool with me?"  
"No."

" Tony, we have to go for the shield physique test."  
" I have it sheduled seperately."

"Tony , arent you feeling hot in that jacket?"  
"No."  
***

They sat down in a corner, still not used to the invisibility. Who can be used to invisibility ?!  
A man, nearly bald, sat down lightly by Tony's cot, as they dacoits left, silently caressing tony's face. Natasha followed every wrinkle of his face, every movement of his finger.  
The present Tony was ashen. He looked worse than having a hangover.  
Or being dead.  
The present genius was taking stuttering breathes. And he was..why was he clutching his chest? Did he recieve damage to his chest?  
That could be. Steve, being a man lost in time, still couldn't place the fact that this was the past. He hadn't read Tony's file. Who would? Even a man lost time had heard about the genius's tantrums.  
But then, hey flashbacks.  
Natasha took Tony in her solid arms. Her expression was cold, but her body showed understanding.  
Pity was not something Tony stark would want, and Natasha understood it well.

Tony hid his face in Natasha's arms, hiding himself from the world. He shivered. He muttered shakily in her arms, Steve catching none of it.  
Clint stood, alongswith bruce, still calming himself. Clint still looked sick.  
Tony emerged from Natasha's embrace, no more Tony. Steve regognized Stark in that body. The human behind the mask was gone.  
"Come on, lets get over it. We will get out, soon."  
Steve was shaken by the man's voice. To say that he was nearly broken seconds ago... The simple act showcased all the masks of Tony stark.  
" Tony..." Bruce blurted out, voice wavering.  
"Brucie," Tony smiled painfully. "we are the avengers. We have to be mentally strong to be a hero. I can take it."  
Bruce nodded.  
The nearly bald turned towards the direction of the whispering, but turned back, finding no one in the dark abyss.  
"Who is he?" Clint asked.  
"That's...yinsen." Tony immediately replied. His voice sounded to feeble to speak the man's name.  
Natasha nudged clint in the arm. The assasin took the sign seriously and quitened up.

The Tony in front of them jerked awake.


	9. Chapter 9

The Tony in front of them jerked awake.

The avengers except Tony and bruce, ran towards the cot. Bruce sighed, at the same time as Tony. They began walking casually towards the cot.  
Clint shuddered. He kneeled next to the cot . The Tony on the cot was ashen, face lined with pain. His eyes were sunken in and glossy. His first action was reaching out for the tube in his nose.  
"Wait." Yinsen announced immediately, but casually, in English. He checked in Tony, before removing the tube himself. Tony whimpered in pain.

Natasha observed Tony's face. He looked confused, scared, curious...angry? Natasha would never know.  
Yinsen looked ...calm. How the hell was he so calm?! His tranquil fingers had a calming affect on Tony. Both the present Tony and the past Tony relaxed with a single look at Yinsen's face.  
"Who are you?" Tony asked, rising from the cot. Yinsen helped him up.  
For the first time, Tony noticed the a wire ,make that wires, on his chest.  
"I am-"Yinsen began,smiling, but was immediately interrupted by Tony . "What the hell is this?!" his voice was shaking, partially from the pain.  
"You were panicked." Clint pointed out.  
" Was there any other emotion to show?" the present Tony shot back, little harshly. Observing the look on Clint's face, he took a deep breath and repeated a little softly. " I mean, I was panicking because...you know...it could have been anything..."  
It wasn't much of an explaination, but Clint,being a shield agent, understood.  
"Its a car battery." Yinsen explained. " attached to an electromagnet. It keeps the shrapnel away from your heart."  
"what shrapnel?"  
Yinsen sighed. " you should know that."  
Tony closed his eyes deep in thought.  
" Yeah." he muttered dejected. " a bomb, exploded on my face."  
"Thought so."  
Tony looked at the gauze covering his chest again. It was coated with black blood.  
Bruce took a sharp intake of air. Ahhh, refreshing. The only thing which didn't stress the hulk.  
Steve looked at Tony out of the corner of his eyes. Man, he was good. His expression was unreadable, eyes bored. His black shirt made him nearly invisible ( More than he actually was. Steve was glad for the fact that they could see each other. Tony was not.)  
Yinsen smiled sympathetically.  
The door opened.  
Four men, bulky and untidy, entered the roo- area.  
A bald man closed on Tony. He had somewhat of a sly demeanour which made Steve shudder.  
"Aapka swagat hai, Tony stark, duniya ka sabse bada khooni . Milkar bahut khushi hui." he smiled, spreading his arms.{a/n this is Hindi. ;) }  
Tony looked questionably at the men. Yinsen stepped forward. " He says, ' welcome, Tony stark, mass murderer of the world.' He is happy to meet you."  
Yinsen explained that the terrorists wanted him to build the Jericho missile.  
"Did you?" Steve asked.  
Tony shook his head, refusing to answer as if he hadnt heard the question.

"No." the past Tony spat out , confidence never shaken.  
The leader said nothing. Two men came inside with a tub of freezing water and the avengers could only yelp as the past tony's head went in.


	10. Chapter 10

The avengers watched in horror as the past Tony flailed in the man's grip. Muffled shouts erupted from the tub. The electromagnet sizzled, making Tony writhe even more. 

Yinsen kept screaming against the men, but fell silent when two guns were raised in his direction.

Steve gasped. Waterboarding was unexpected. He never expected the genius to have experienced torture. Bruce was dangerously green . Natasha watched him from the corner of her eyes, barely able to control her own anger.

 

Clint , however, never had much control over his anger, so he just ran and hurled a porridge bowl at the man who kept tony's head under the water.

It hit his head with a clang.

The man looked amused, releasing Tony's head. Tony came to the surface, gasping and wheezing to himself. He turned towards Yinsen , eyebrows hidden in his hair.

The bald man neared him. " Aapko kuch kehna hai?" ( a/n Hindi for "do you want to say anything?")

Yinsen spat a sharp denial, eyes never leaving Tony. He was still recovering.

The present Tony glared at Clint, no emotion present in his eyes. " i couldn't watch you being tortured." Clint whispered.

Tony nodded. "Thanks."

The man smirked, sending another man towards Yinsen and returned to Tony, pulling his hair and dunking him in the tub. The present Tony watched, unshaken. If Loki wanted him to break down, he would cement his walls. His hands were clenched and his teeth were gritted, but he just stood at his position, as hard as stone.

The man pulled Tony out.

" ...no."

His head went back in.

Steve took deep breathes. Tony's muffled screams rang throughout the cave, making it impossible to stay calm. The past Tony convulsed.

" What's happening?!" Steve asked, eyes wide.

"The battery." Tony pointed at his chest, " was electrocuting me."

Steve did not reply.

The man pulled him out again.

" I ,..., s-said no! I won't build it!" Tony screamed.

_"you only care for yourself...,"_

His head went down. Tony struggled for a few minutes, before going completely still. The man frowned, pulling Tony out. Tony barely had a chance to breathe before the man kicked him in the stomach. Tony curled up into himself. Another kick to his arm. Another to his chest, just nearby the battery. Tony screamed in pain.

_" big man in a suit . Take that of and what are you?"_

A knife appeared our of no where, dangerously close towards Tony's eye. Tony said nothing.

The man smiled, moving towards Yinsen. . . . 

" I will... m-make it! "

_"a survivor."_


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the improved version of the story on fanfiction net, but somehow, i noted that in the first few chapters, the tweaks weren't made. I apologize, I will clear them as soon as i can!  
> Anyway, thank you for your feedback! You guys are amazing!

The past Tony took deep breaths as the men left him and Yinsen alone . He fell back, as if each ounce of his energy was depleted. The electromagnet still appeared to be sizzling. He leaned against the wall, coughing up water. Yinsen moved to help him.

The avengers gaped, amused at what they just saw.  
The most affected was Steve, crestfallen. He never expected the genius to care about others.  
Bruce was literally burning from rage. His hands were clenched at his sides as tremors overtook his body.  
Clint and Natasha, both stayed behind the group, spouting Russian curses familiar to no one.  
Tony tried to maintain his composure, but panic smudged the appealing act.  
" I didn't," He began with shaken confidence , " do that because I wanted to. They were about to hurt Yinsen. I didn't want to make them weapons...I didn't make.."  
Steve gaped and his jaws hit the ground when he finally realised who was Tony blaming.  
Himself.  
And it wasnt even his fault.

" Tony , most of the people would have broken down much before you did! " Bruce pointed out, astonished at the fact that Tony was even more insecure than him.  
" But-"  
"No 'buts'. You are not weak. And you already had told me that you didn't make what they wanted, right?" Bruce asked, voice varying from warning to tenderly loving.  
Tony nodded slowly.  
The past Tony pulled himself together.  
" Y-Yinsen..."  
Yinsen nodded with barely supressed worry and praise as he moved closer to Tony, ruffling his hair. His eyes were plastered over the battery, gracefully and darkly inspecting the burns near the electromagnet.  
"I -I ...will get you out."  
Yinsen gaped increduously.  
"But how?! There are cameras watching us! And you have a heart condition-"  
"He isn't wrong ." Said Natasha.  
" Yinsen." Tony said ,soothingly .,quietening him up.  
"I have a plan."


	12. Chapter 12

"What plan can you accomplish in a cave ?!" Steve asked , astonished at Tony's confidence to get out.  
Steve knew that Tony was a stubborn one, but this was a new level. There were cameras in the cave. They would be caught stirring up a rebellion, and honestly, now Steve couldn't bear to watch another round of torture.

  
Steve waited and took in the confusion in Tony's features.  
"You didn't read my file." it definitely sounded like it wasn't a question.And irnically, it wasn't.

  
Steve shook his head. Who would read a man's file if his whole goddamn life was pasted in the media?!  
"So how many people read my file?" Tony asked, out of sheer curiousity.  
Natasha and Bruce raised their hands.  
"Birdbrain?"  
" Everyone knows about you man , come on."  
Tony nodded , pissed. The media didn't know why he created iron man. Tony just could not fabricate the impression, that his so called team didn't even bother to read his file.

  
He sighed, slipping down into a sitting position on the ground.  
" We cannot stand for three months, can we?"  
Natasha nodded, before slipping to the floor, with Steve. Bruce looked around, only to see Clint's disgusted look, but one look at Thor and he to sat down.  
The past Tony slung his hand around Yinsen's shoulder as he carried him to the cot. Tony hissed in pain.

  
" We need to get rid of this thingy." the past Tony muttered, hand pointing at the battery he held in his left hand.  
" What?...this?" Yinsen asked, eyes narrowing at the car battery. His expression was dark , giving away no specific emotion as he dropped Tony as lightly as possible on the cot.  
" Yup. This is not going to last long, i guess. " tony spoke, this time more audible.  
" What can we do? We have neither -"  
" I said I have a plan. We will get the materials too."  
Yinsen laughed. " There are cameras." And Steve agreed internally.  
" You have a better plan?" Tony asked.

Bruce shuddered at the hopeless look on the genius's face. Tony was never hopeless. Never.  
Yinsen shook his head.  
" Then my plan is perfect. The stuff i need for the missile, i can recycle it to construct a substitute. And my plan."  
Tony smiled.

"You-" Mumbled Bruce.

"Yeah." Interrupted Tony.

"Really?"  
"Yeah."


	13. Chapter 13

The avengers gawped in amazement as the terrorists came and kept chunks of material they didn't regognise as Tony kept barking orders.

" -I need it nicely lit." Tony ordered one of then men, who made a growling sound, but left without a complaint. Yinsen watched from the back, observing everyone carefully. Natasha felt a strange sense of deja vu, remembering the time when Clint used to watch her with the same expression when they barely knew each other.

The past Tony pulled something out of the heap, observing it carefully with eyes betraying his experience in the field. his determined posture was bathed in sweat and water, no one could say which, because even after Yinsen's drying him with a towel, Tony was still wet from the recent waterboarding. it was suprising , because you only drown one's face in a tub during water boarding, but the terrorists had nearly dunk Tony fully in the tank.

Bruce looked around, timidly, but curiously, observing the vile and dirty stuff around him. His usually cute brown ruffles seemed to be laid with sweat, with agitation, maybe, because one look at the others told him that he, Steve and Thor were the only one unaffected by the cold. The past Tony was literally shuddering at and uncontrollable pace. He began working with the material provided to him, only realising that he was numb with cold when Yinsen dropped a blanket on his shoulders. He gave a small warm smile. A smile which made Natasha smile. because she suddenly realised how less Tony showed his emotions.

The present tony felt pangs of pain erupting through his chest...oh no...

Clint's face scrunched up in confusion.

"hey, how are we not hungry?"

Bruce drowned in a deep lair of confusion. "Huh."

Thor shrugged, and so did Tony, when they were inquired about the curious fact.

Steve felt like the old days had came back. he never used to feel hungry when he was a child. after the super soldier program, he felt like an elephant. He ate tons of food now, it felt horrible, he had never liked asking for help, and now he was totally dependent on Tony for paying for the food he gobsmacked. He felt his face turn red in shame when he finally realised how much Tony did for him. 

Tony began rubbing his chest.

Bruce eyed him cautiously, but didn't say anything as the sounds of hammering erupted from the cave.

The past Tony began hammering a small , cylindrical piece of...something. he hammered until a litte wedgy chip pushed its way out. he pulled it out and hammered again.

"Shouldn't you take a break?" Bruce asked, worried. " You were waterboarded and tortured..."

" There was no time." Although Bruce didn't notice anything, Natasha noted the pain laced upon his voice, and realised that there were a few minutes left before the arc reactor went off.

She saw a small washroom , door ajar.

There was no way that the avengers were going to let them get away with the poisoning this time. Tony was a precious member to the team, Captain may be, or may not be included. Natasha didn't care. Tony was coughing right away, trying to keep it as light as possible, as it was evident that the past Tony was hearing strange voices.  
"Tony?" Steve exclaimed.

"Is something the matter, man of iron?" thor asked politely, but in alarm. He mouthed a sorry to Natasha as the past Tony began to look around again.

Tony looked at Natasha. " I c-cant-" he gasped. "It h-hurts...Nat...it has lost power..."

Four faces turned towards Natasha. She raised her hand to silent Bruce as soon as he opened his mouth.

Natasha ignored the whispers and bent down , over Tony, and pulled his shirt up.


	14. Chapter 14

Natasha knew horror when she saw it.

She was an assassin, causing horror was her job. Getting information out in any way . She knew horror. The horror of her victims when she picked up a weapon. The horror of the people she interrogated when she neared them with her fatal charm.

The black widow, however, was never bothered by the horror herself , Natasha avoided it.  
She expected the same look of horror on the face of the avengers, but she never knew that she showcased the same look when she looked at the arc reactor.  
The blue device melted in her eyes .Once beautiful, the device now showed signs of destructive behaviour. the blue warmth was gone, and black veins surrounded it. Strange lines ran up through Tony's neck. The soft buzzing Tony often spoke of, was replaced by his harsh breathing.

Natasha quickly pulled out the reactor.

"Natasha what the hell-"

"Don't disturb me Steve.' She spat. The only thing that needed attention was Tony, and she had to provide. Steve wasn't helping matters by creating a ruckus. They were invisible to the past, but their voices were heard by the confused Yinsen and Tony.

Natasha pulled out the used paladium core out of the reactor. Her hands burned with the unnatural temperature, but years of training got ahead of her. She opened the box and put a new core in the reactor, the blue light came back, flickering.

Natasha inserted the reactor inside Tony's chest.

Tony convulsed. his chest burned with new energy. He felt energetic yet weak. Tony couldn't place his head around the irony of the fact that the device which was keeping him alive was killing him.

"Tasha?" He mumbled, voice slurred around the edges.  
"Yeah?"  
"Steve is gonna stare a hole through me."  
And sure enough, the team gawked, mouths slightly open, waiting for an explanation.

"What the hell tony?!" Clint exploded. " What the hell is that ?!"

Tony took a deep breathe. He felt like shit. Couldn't they wait?

"See that? " He pointed towards the car battery inside the older Tony's chest. "I had to remove it. For a better model."  
" Does it hurt?" Asked Thor. Tony flinched, both of them.  
"Well, it is deep..."  
They stood, solemnly. Tony felt like disappearing into the thin air. He hated discussions.   
" And why didn't you tell us?" Asked Steve.

Tony blinked.  
" Because it makes you weak."

Thor sighed. "That is risiculous."  
"Ridiculous." Pointed out Bruce.

 

Tony was so deep in thought that he didn't even notice when Steve produced a knife from out of nowhere and stabbed Tony in his stomach.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't ship tony and steve, but i have a question. You guys have named them "stony" but why not "Sony"?

Steve pulled the knife out and took a deep breathe.   
Tony felt the room swirl around his eyes. His senses rang with an ironic, stabbing pain, which he found unable to ignore.  
The knife found it's way back into his stomach. This time deeper.

Tony gasped.  
Why Steve?  
Tony hunched over and fell to the floor, knife lodged deep in his stomach. Blood spilled and flowed in little rivers, as if it had been awaiting for the moment.

"S-Steve...?" Tony gasped for his breath. His hand tried , and failed to cover the wound.

The past Tony and Yinsen disintegrated, and the cave walls turned back to the initial scenery they were primarily in. Steve stood, bold and defiant.   
Moments ago Tony would've given anything to escape from the petrifying past. Now, he wished for the contrary.

"Pathetic little coward, aren't you?" Steve kicked Tony in the stomach. Tony grunted from the pain and rolled over to his back. His brain could no longer process the confusing reality. The iron of his soul broke under the sheer act of betrayal. If it was someone else, Tony could have believed that the person was a clone or something, but Steve had never liked him enough.

The only thing Tony couldn't understand was everything.

Why wasn't the others saying anything?  
One look around and Tony got the answer. The avengers , INCLUDING Steve were lying on the floor, lax and defeated. They were screaming, but tony couldn't hear. His attention was on the person with the knife.  
Who...?  
Steve's usual features morphed into a regognisable green cape and evil eyes.

Loki.

'How did you like my surprise?"

Tony felt dizzy and confused. There was a puddle of blood around him already, and none of this made sense to him. The avengers were there with him the whole time.

Were they?

Loki bent over Tony and caressed the black bangs falling on Tony's face. " You look quite angry over here, don't you?"

Tony growled. He tried to get up but discarded the idea as pain shot through his stomach once more. He groaned.  
"I feel apologetic, but I can't stand mockery." Loki muttered evenly.  
"You deserve it."   
A small mud ball hit Loki at the back of his head.

'What the...?!"

Loki moved towards Clint who had bent his wrist oddly to hit Loki again, but he missed as Loki pressed the knife, dripping with Tony's blood, to his neck.

" You wont mind if I silence you forever would you?!"

" Actually I wouldn't, but on the other hand-"

An explosion sounded throughout the cave .

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just can do detailing. Just bear with it.


	16. Chapter 16

There were a series of explosions, sounding close each minute. Tony felt a small smile of triumph lacing his lips. Finally.   
A sharp pang of pain erupted for his stomach and his smile faded away, unnoticed by the inhabitants of the room. He closed his eyes. Help is there, he told himself.

 

Loki smiled too. His smile, however, didn't even falter as people dressed in black erupted from different parts of the cave, breaking nearly every wall present at the location.

Shield.  
For the first time in his life, Tony was internally thanking the gods. His brain jumped up and down in rhythm with the stinging pain. It felt ironic.  
All guns were pointed at Loki.

"Hands in the air!"   
Tony recognized the voice Fury's.

"Ooh, let's see who came by." Loki smiled malevolently. The agents tensed. Tony marveled at the stupidity of it all: Loki could've taken them all out with a swipe of his scepter.

An agent shot Loki with a small dart.

"Do you not value your life?" Loki asked , perplexed inside, but never losing the smirk.

"That," The agent said, " will keep you from using your powers."

There was silence in the cave for a few minutes. An agent dropped next to Tony. Another freed the avengers.

"Tony needs help!" Bruce growled. Now the affect of Loki's magic was fading, he was gaining control over his alter ego.   
" We got him." The agent replied.

"NO YOU DIDN'T!" Loki screamed. He threw his scepter at the agent tending to Tony. The agent yelped , and fell. The blood spilled from his wounds straight on Tony, who gasped, mentally scarred forever. Why did people always sacrifice themselves for him?

No matter how much training each agent had received, they were stumped . Loki laughed.

"And for your dart, it's useless!" He threw it right in fury's face.

He disintegrated into the thin air.


	17. Chapter 17

"That's what happened?"  
"Yup."  
"Wow."  
"I know."  
"I mean, I totally don't remember a lot."

Tony was lying on a small bed, looking all frail and tired, but more than determined to get the story out of Steve before he could faint. Bruce was fast asleep , however, Natasha and Clint were having a, what the avengers liked to call, morning bird mood. They, no matter how much Steve consoled them, had a tight grip around their weapons, which were allowed in the S.H.E.I.L.D infirmary, and there they were.  
Tony had been taken to the hospital, Loki had disappeared, the avengers had the most eventful time of their lives. Tony had woken up, healthy , but the avengers could sense his uneasiness: they had seen him in the most vulnerable moments of his life.  
"Do you remember anything at all?" Steve asked, the politeness in his voice never fading.

"... A knife, a frigging green god, ...and...THE AGENT! Is he alive?!" Tony exclaimed suddenly, panic rising in his voice.

"Yes he is. Two of the agents managed to control the bleeding." Natasha lamented , behind Steve.

Tony breathed a sigh of relief.

"Can I meet him?"

"Just rest for sometime, will you?"

"Aww, M'fine."

"Yeah." Steve nodded loyally, " but it's Pepper who needs convincing. She went to handle the press and the company."  
Tony paled.  
" Well, Miss Potts is amazing at handling the press." A new voice said. The avengers turned towards the doorway, to see a man and a woman, both dressed in S.H.E.I.L.D uniforms.

" And you are...?" Tony asked.

" Agent Leopold Fitz and Jemma Simmons. Fury wants a total report of the mission, and we are here to guard the perimeter."  
"Some relief." Said Tony , truthfully." I do miss the mud."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still have to deal with palladium.


	18. Chapter 18

Tony's POV

I stared at the two agents, who greeted me. Fitz actually raised his hand to shake mine, but he faltered when I glared at him. Jemma smiled sympathetically, which I returned.

Steve bowed , courteously. " Well, I take my leave then!"

He closed the door.

As soon as he left, I wished he hadn't . Because, as soon as he did, the two agents slid of their masks and smirked. Fitz bent on me.

"Care to explain, Mr. Stark?" He asked, coolly.  
And I just stared, because even being a genius, I had no idea what he was talking about. All they made me feel was a cornered animal.

"What , did Steve paint something on my face?"

" Steve didn't." Jemma glared at me, hands on her hips. " You did." And that did nothing but confuse me more.

"Oh. I did? Must've been the drugs and stuff." I actually checked my reflection in the mirror and laughed.I looked pale and ten years older than I was. I managed to give of a carefree look, but the agents had my wheels turning.

"Tony, do you really don't know anything about the palladium poisoning you?"

That shut me up.  
The excitement of the few days (weeks? months?) had completely thrown the palladium from my head. Suddenly the bubbly cheerfulness vapourised from my heart, leaving back the old demons gnawing at it.

" I am sorry-"

"We know. So drop the mask." Jemma commanded. SHEILD and their weird agents. I swear.

I frowned. How the hell did they know? He hadn't told a sou-

Natasha, the bitch!

 

"Natasha please don't tell anyone else..."

"I won't let you waste away with everyone else thinking you are a selfish old brat."

"I will tell them. When I am ready. Please Natasha. Let me have this one."

Natasha smirked.

"Fine, playboy."

"Tony?" Asked Fitz. Now we were down to business, he was carefully approaching the conversation.

"Yeah?"

"We think there is a cure."

I chuckled. "No. Believe me. I am good at this.I have looked for everything-"

"Not everything."

Fitz took a small device and thrusted in the nape of my neck.

I yelped.

"Shit!" The heart monitors beeped for a few seconds, calming themselves along with me. "What did you do to me?!"

Jemma pulled the blanket which concealed my arc reactor and the blackness of the veins faded.

"What the-"

"Lithium dioxide. It has reduced the palladium levels in your blood. It's not a permanent cure, though." She added, noticing that I was about to speak.

"So, there is a cure?"

"Yes. So get out of the hospital as soon as you can and-"

"Nah. Get me the info. We start now."


	19. Chapter 19

"My father never said that he loved me. He never even told me that he liked me so it is a bit hard for me to digest-"

"I knew him better than you." Fury explained. " I knew how his brain worked. He wanted you to figure everything on your own."

Tony sat in front of the most obnoxious world a lady could produce. His head hurt, and he was pretty sure his father had plans to keep insulting him after his death, because Nick Fury was sitting in front of him. He sat back, tired.

"Everyone, knew him better than me." And it was the most truthful thing he could ever manage.

"It won't hurt to watch a small video." Fury sighed, motioning towards a small case he had brought for Tony , labelled 'H. Stark'" Tony nodded. 

"Will you tell the team now?" There was a cautious undertone to this. Tony's opulent mind searched for the reason, but only found sentiment as the answer and then hated himself for even thinking about the word.

"No! I mean.. now I have something on the issue,there is hope, they don't need to know." He didn't have anything on the topic. Fury said he had, and Fury didn't even know the 'A' of the arc reactor.

"Tony, trusting people won't hurt you."

"It has. A lot." Tony spat, averting his gaze from the director. A small voice yelled Obadiah in his head and Fury's head heard it.

"Virginia ought to know."

Fury sipped his coffee.

"She is better without knowing."

Tony dropped his gaze to the small Starkpad Jemma had brought for him. Aww, bless the lady.

_'But if you stress yourself over it, I swear , I will bury all of these.'_

Fury got up. "I am sending in captain."

"Why?" Tony asked, perplexed. Steve and Tony didn't get along much, even after their ordeal , Tony was sure of it.

"You need to brief the team's captain at least!" And shit. Why? Having a captain in your name doesn't make you the captain.

"Nick, no!"

"You tell Steve, or drop the initiative. Tony, what if you get sick on a mission?"

"My health has nothing to do with you!"

"Good luck with that." Fury left the room, boots clanking. 

Tony clutched his forehead. What a mess. He looked around the room.

"If jemma bury things that stress me out, bury Fury somewhere."

How would he tell the captain?

Talk of the devil.

Captain America entered the room, dressed in casuals, confused, but unknowingly threatening the man in front of him.

 _"Tony Stark,"_ Tony steeled himself internally, _"It's now or never"_


	20. Chapter 20

'Tony?" Steve asked , "You called?"

"No!-Yeah! maybe..."

Steve frowned , visibly confused. He pulled a chair near the bed, and sat on it. It irked Tony. It would have been so much better, if Steve just buried himself somewhere rather than to talk to him.

"We caught Loki."

'Oh?" Tony blurted out, flabbergasted. The fact that Steve was being random didn't comfort him a bit.

"Yeah. "

"Yeah....I'm sorry,What?" Tony asked, now utterly confused.

"So if you feel intimidated, there is nothing to be scared off.'

Oh.  
Now. Steve had spent an eternity in life threatening situations with him, and yet Tony believed he posed a greater level of danger to him.  
"Are you kidding me?" Tony lamented, clearly offended.

"Tony, we are a team. We have your back. So trust is something we deserve."

"Uh huh."

Steve stared. Tony blinked.

"I do trust you." Tony said.

"You don't. If you had, then the mission would've gone differently."

"So , it's my fault?"

"I didn't say that!" Steve exclaimed, frustrated. 

Tony nodded, taking a deep breath.

"Nick told you anything else except I wanted to talk?"

"He told me to be lenient."

Tony chuckled. "That is so not Fury." And it wasn't. For real.

"Tony." Said Steve sternly.

"So, after I get out of the hospital," Tony began, "I might be a bit indisposed for further missions."

"Because you would need to rest."

"No, you idiot...I mean, there is a..." Tony fumbled for the words, running his hands through his hair," minor problem with the reactor."

Steve stiffened. "Minor?"

"Major."

Steve fell silent. He spared a glance at the arc reactor. " Will you be okay?"

"Maybe."

'No , you won't be, liar.'

"What is wrong with it?" He asked solemnly.

"See," Tony inhaled sharply, "The core is based off palladium. And palladium doesn't work very good with your body. It's a bit like...poison."

Steve's understanding expression turned into a livid one. "Why didn't you tell us?!"

" Natasha knows."

"Natasha is one member! I am your leader!"

"You just have a captain in your name!" Tony screamed, then winced horribly as the movement sent jolts of pain through his body.

Steve sat back on his chair.

"You will die , won't you?" He asked silently.

Tony flinched. He had neither expected the question, nor he wanted to answer it. It was the very thought which scared him.

"With the information Nick provided, no." He lied.

IT WAS A VIDEO. A FRIGGING VIDEO. A video, pushing him to make a component, which was impossible to make.

No Hope.

"Miss Potts-"

"Doesn't know."

"At the very least, tell her!"

" I tried! She won't listen!"

"She deserves to know."

Tony closed his eyes and exhaled sharply.

Steve stood up.

"I will help you."

"You know nothing about science!"  
"No silly, I will help you to start trusting people. Even if it is the last thing you ever learn."

Tony nodded.

And he smiled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading this fic. This was the last chapter.


End file.
